June 14, 2007

Japan leads US pork market in fifteen years

Japan has been the main destination for US pork export for fifteen years as it posted more than 450 percent increase of US pork imports, according to the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

US pork exports to Japan have tracked a steady growth pattern which registered a 452 percent increase since 1992, according to USMEF. The rise was both in volume and value.

Japan exports were valued at roughly US$384 million and accounted 39 percent of total exports worth at more than US$985 million from January to April 2007. Mexico ranks second with 15 percent, and Canada third with 14 percent.

To continue its dominance on the Japanese market, the USMEF created strategies including a cookbook for Japanese recipes and the Daily Menu campaign to show versatility of US pork.  The Daily Menu Campaign, which features different recipes for thirty days started in February 2007 while the cookbook called "Mainich Oishi American Pork 30 (translated to American Pork-30 Delicious Recipes for Everyday) written by Makiko Fujino, a well-known cooking instructor in Japan, was also commercially launched in February.